Atlantic Revolution Research Paper

ATLANTIC REVOLUTION
HIS 379 The Atlantic World
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8 Jun 2013

Introduction Nationalism and revolution often go hand in hand. Yet, while nationalism might lead to revolution, and perhaps national independence, it is much broader than revolution, and one should not be confused with the other. “All nationalists believe that nations can be identified by certain characteristics that all its citizens hold in common. These characteristics include the linguistic, ethnic, religious, or historical traditions that make a nation distinctive. All nationalists…are linked across time by [a common] language, literary tradition, and history”
(Gelvin
The American Revolution started a Trans-Atlantic Age revolution.

Discovery of the New World It all began with the discovery of the New World by Columbus is 1492, which happened on behalf of Castile which was the Spanish crown. Prior to this discovery Europe had switched from the Feudalist system to the Capitalist system. Nationalism in Europe fueled the desire to control colonies in Asia and Africa. Finding a new route to the orient was the goal, when the
Americas were discovered. The “Atlantic revolution,” was the redirection of trade routes brought about by the great geographic discoveries. The Atlantic revolution, however, did not so much replace the old lines of medieval commerce as build upon them” (Britannica). The
European merchant capitalism formed a framework that became a joint venture for Europe,
Americas and Africa. One that was founded upon coerced labor in which all contributed to the vast complicated network known as the Atlantic economy. “While not equal in power, each was critical in the contribution to the construction of the Atlantic
world”(Benjamin
The revolt caused Britain and France to abandon slave trade, making One Million black slaves French citizens in 1794.

The French-Haitian Revolution What Nationalism and Revolution tell us about the role of slavery in the Atlantic World was what was done to justify slavery. In 1831 a Slave revolt lead by Nat Turner was used as reason to continue slavery. The whites were far outnumbered which was why The Haitian Revolution was kept quiet. For this reason, white Frenchmen were not permitted in Cuba for fear that they tell the story of the revolt in Haiti. One Million black slaves became French citizens in 1794 and when Napoleon tried to reinstitute slavery in 1802 things did not go well. Ultimately,
Catholicism was used to try to de- Africanize the slaves, the colony wished to assimilate them culturally in order to continue their subjugation. American Revolution The American Revolution affected slavery by creating new ways for the slaves to be free.
People started questioning slavery on all sides. The Americans won their independence from